Heritage Bank client and employee both win awards from U.S. Small Business Administration

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May 05, 2017, 14:08 ET

OLYMPIA, Wash., May 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Heritage Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: HFWA), parent company of Heritage Bank, announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration ("SBA") 2017 Seattle District Family-Owned Small Business of the Year was recently awarded to Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar, a client of Heritage Bank. SBA also named Addie Roberge, a SBA Commercial Lender at Heritage, as the 2017 Financial Services Advocate of the Year.

About Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar
Moctezuma's was founded in 1978 and has four locations throughout the Puget Sound. The award-winning atmosphere and over 100 different types of tequilas have earned the restaurant recognition in South Sound Magazine and King 5's Evening Magazine as "Best Mexican Restaurant." They were also recently voted No. 5 out of the top 25 best Mexican restaurants in America.

The Family-Owned Small Business of the Year award is presented as part of National Small Business Week, which runs this year from April 30-May 6. The award recognizes family-owned and operated businesses that have been passed from one generation to the next, and that have been operating for at least 15 years. The business must also have a history of successful sales and profits, increased employment opportunities for family and non-family members, potential long-term growth, and voluntary efforts within the community.

Moctezuma's President, Bernie Garcia, commented, "We were really excited to hear we were nominated for and then won this award. The company really is where it is today because of my whole family, and it's always an honor for the family to be recognized for everything we have done. We are really proud of what we have built."

Moctezuma's has projected sales of $20 million for 2017 and hopes to open a fifth location soon. The business employs nearly 400 staff and regularly hosts benefit events for local organizations where a portion of the night's profits go back to that organization.

About Addie Roberge
Addie Roberge joined Heritage in 2016 but has been in banking since 2002. She's revered as an expert in the SBA loan program and has dedicated her time to ensure the small business community has the resources they need by presenting at workshops and participating in local meetings focused on small business. She's also partnered with a number of local organizations, such as Washington Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, a Small Business Accelerator Group, the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Impact Hub, and Economic Alliance of Snohomish County to deliver financial access information and training.

Christine Heckert, SVP, SBA Manager, commented, "Watching Addie work with our small business community, as a lender and as a volunteer, is so inspiring. I've never seen someone work as hard as Addie does. She helps businesses which, in turn, creates jobs for the economy, and most importantly, helps individuals' fulfill their dreams."

The Financial Services Advocate award recognizes an individual or organization that advocates and assists the small business community by increasing the availability of accounting and financial services.

"It was such an honor to hear I had even been nominated for this award, so when I received the call from SBA, I nearly jumped through the roof," Roberge said. "I couldn't be more delighted to receive the Financial Services Advocate of the Year Award, as it's for doing something I truly enjoy."

About Heritage Financial
Heritage Financial Corporation is an Olympia-based bank holding company with Heritage Bank, a Washington state-chartered full-service commercial bank, as its sole wholly-owned banking subsidiary. Heritage Bank has a network of 59 banking offices to serve customers in Washington and Oregon. Heritage Bank also does business under the Central Valley Bank name in the Yakima and Kittitas counties of Washington and under the Whidbey Island Bank name on Whidbey Island. Heritage's stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "HFWA". More information about Heritage Financial Corporation can be found on its website at www.hf-wa.com and the Heritage Bank website at www.HeritageBankNW.com.

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SOURCE Heritage Financial Corporation